Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews
Volume 7, Issue 1 , Pages 39-46 , March 2007

Parent Delivered Infant Massage: Are We Truly Ready for Implementation?

  • Jacqueline M. McGrath, PhD, RN, NNP, FNAP

      Affiliations

    • Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondences to Jacqueline M. McGrath, PhD, RN, NNP, FNAP, Virginia Commonwealth University, PO Box 980567 Richmond, VA 23298-0567
  • ,
  • Maria Thillet, RN, BSN, CIM

      Affiliations

    • Phoenix Children's Hospital, NICU, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ
  • ,
  • Lindsay Van Cleave, RN, BSN

      Affiliations

    • Banner Desert Medical Center, NICU, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ

References 

  1. Blackburn S, Barnard K. Analysis of caregiving events relating to preterm infants in the special care unit. In:  Gotfried AW,  Gaiter JL editor. Infants under stress: environmental neonatology. Baltimore, MD: University Park Press; 1985;p. 113–130
  2. Werner NP, Conway AE. Caregiver contact experienced by premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Matern Child Nurs J. 1990;19:21–43
  3. Harrison L. Tactile stimulation of neonatal intensive care unit preterm infants. In:  Fields T editors. Touch and massage in early child development. USA: Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institutive L.C.L; 2004;p. 139–162
  4. Stack D. The saliency of touch and physical contact during infancy: unraveling some of the mysteries of the somesthetic sense. In:  Bremner G,  Fogel G editor. Blackwell handbook of infant development. Malden, Mass: Blackwell Publishers; 2001;p. 351–378
  5. Scafidi F, Field T, Schanberg S, et al. Massage stimulates growth in preterm infants: a replication. Infant Behav Dev. 1990;13:167–188
  6. Field T, Scafidi F, Schanberg S. Massage of preterm newborns to improve growth and development. Pediatr Nurs. 1987;13:385–387
  7. Mathai S, Fernandez A, Mondkar J, Kanbur W. Effects of tactile-kinesthetic stimulation in preterms: a controlled trial. India Pediatr. 2001;38:1091–1098
  8. Diego MA, Field T, Hernadez-Reif M. Vagal activity gastric motility and weight gain in massaged preterm neonates. J Pediatr. 2005;147:50–55
  9. Beachy JM. Premature infant massage in the NICU. Neonatal Netw. 2003;22:3945
  10. Harrison L, Olivet L, Cunningham K, Bodin M, Hicks C. Effects of gentle human touch on preterm infants: pilot study results. Neonatal Netw. 1996;15:35–42
  11. Harrison LL, Groer M, Modcrin-McCarthy MA, et al. Effects of gentle human touch on preterm infants: results from a pilot study. Infant Behav Dev. 1992;15:12
  12. Harrison LL, Williams AK, Berbaum ML, et al. Physiologic and behavioral effects of gentle human touch on preterm infants. Res Nurs Health. 2000;23:435–446
  13. Jay SS. The effects of gentle human touch on mechanically ventilated very short gestation infants. Matern Child Nurs J. 1982;11:199–256
  14. Modcrin-McCarthy MA: The physiologic and behavioral effects of a gentle human touch nursing intervention on preterm infants. Doctoral dissertation, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dissertation Abstracts International, 54B(3) 1336, 1992
  15. Tribotti SJ. Effects of gentle touch on the premature infant. In:  Gunzenhauser N editors. Advances in touch: new implications in human development. NJ Skillman: Johnson & Johnson; 1990;p. 80–89
  16. Modcrin-Talbott M, Harrison L, Groer M, Younger M. The biobehavioral effects of gentle human touch on preterm infants. Nurs Sci Q. 2003;16:60–67
  17. Modcrin-MvCarthy M, Harris M, Marlar C. Touch and the fragile infant: comparison of touch techniques with implications for nursing practice. Mother Baby J. 1997;2:12–19
  18. Agarwal K, Gupta A, Pushkarna R, Bhargava S, Faridi M, Prabhu M. Effects of massage & use of oil on growth, blood flow & sleep pattern in infants. Indian J Med Res. 2000;112:212–217
  19. Acolet D, Modi X, Giannokoulopoulos C, et al. Changes in plasma cortisol and catecholoamine concentrations in response to massage in preterm infants. Arch Dis Child. 1993;68:29–31
  20. Aly H, Moustafa MF, Hassanein SM. Physical activity combined with massage improves bone mineralization in premature infant: a randomized trial. J Perinatol. 2004;24:305–309
  21. International Loving Touch Foundation . The art of infant massage. Retrieved March 16, 2006, from http://www.lovingtouch.com2005;
  22. Vickers A, Ohlsson A, Lacy JB, Horsley A. Massage for promoting growth and development of preterm and/or low birth-weight infants (Review). The Cochrane Collaboration. LTD: John Wiley and Sons; 2006;Issue 4
  23. Childbirth.org . What is infant massage?. Retrieved March 16, 2006, from http://www.childbirth.org/articles/baby/infantmassage.html1998;
  24. Gavey H. Responding to babies' needs through holistic care. Nurs Stand. 2002;16:33–37
  25. Harrison LL. The use of comforting touch and massage to reduce stress for preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Newborn Infant Nurs Rev. 2001;1:235–241
  26. Franklin C. The neonatal nurses' role in parental attachment in the NICU. Crit Care Nurs Q. 2006;29:81–85
  27. Ferber S, Kuint J, Weller A, et al. Massage therapy by mothers and trained professionals enhances weight gain in preterm infants. Early Hum Dev. 2002;67:37–45
  28. Phillips R, Moses H. Skin hunger effects on preterm neonates. Transdiscip J. 1996;6:39–46
  29. Field T, Hernandez-Reif M, Deigo M, et al. Massage therapy by parents improves early growth and development. Infant Behav Dev. 2004;27:334–435
  30. Christopher S, Bauman K, Veness-Meehan K. Perceived stress, social support, and affectionate behaviors of adolescent mothers with infants in neonatal intensive care. J Pediatr Health Care. 2000;14:288–296
  31. Glover V, Onozawa K, Hodgkinson A. Benefits of infant massage for mothers with postnatal depression. Semin Neonatol. 2002;7:495–500
  32. Browne J. Considerations for touch and massage in the neonatal intensive care unit. Neonatal Netw. 2000;19(1):61–64
  33. Griffin T. Introduction of a positive touch programme: the value of infant massage. J Neonat Nurs. 2000;6:112–116
  34. Wall A. Agreeing on a standard for infant massage: not a soft touch. J Neonat Nurs. 2002;8:93–96
  35. Mullany L, Darmstadt G, Khatry S, Tielsch J. Traditional massage of newborns in Nepal: implications for trials of improved practice. J Trop Pediatr. 2005;51:82–86
  36. Hartelius I, Rasmussen L, Sygehus O, Denmark O. How little you are. Neonatal Netw. 1992;11:33–40

PII: S1527-3369(06)00163-2

doi: 10.1053/j.nainr.2006.12.012

Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews
Volume 7, Issue 1 , Pages 39-46 , March 2007